Military¶
Military are the armed forces of a settlement. Watches, militias, garrisons: bodies organized to enforce law, defend the community, and put men in the field when the horn blows.
Theme: Watch¶
Standing civil law enforcement. Patrols the streets, mans the gates, keeps order. Reports to the settlement's rulers.
| Scale | Creatures | Features | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town | 1 Watch Captain, 4-6 Watch Patrols, 2-4 Watch Squads | Patrol Pattern, Personality | Watch Hall |
| City | 1 Watch Commander, 3-5 Lieutenants, 10-15 Watch Patrols, 8-12 Watch Squads | Patrol Pattern, Personality | Watch HQ |
Theme: Militia¶
Citizen defense force. Farmers and villagers come armed when the horn blows or the bell rings. Not full-time; drills irregularly. Older armor, workmen's weapons, and whatever the Muster Hall armory holds.
| Scale | Creatures | Features | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village | 1 Militia Company | Personality | Muster Hall |
| Town | 1 Lieutenant, 3-6 Militia Companies | Personality | Muster Hall |
| City | 1 Militia Commander, 3-5 Lieutenants, 10-20 Militia Companies | Personality | Muster Hall (one per district) |
Theme: Royal Guard¶
A ruler's own military force. Serves the ruler personally: guarding his residence, escorting him on progress, mustering when he commands. Distinct from the Watch (which serves the town) though the two coordinate. Elite soldiers, drilled and salaried; sworn to the ruler by oath.
| Scale | Creatures | Features | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town | 1 Knight Captain, 3-5 Guard Squads | Personality | Barracks, Parade Ground |
| City | 1 Marshal, 3-5 Knight Captains, 10-20 Guard Squads | Personality | Barracks, Parade Ground |
The Royal Guard's Locations sit within the ruler's Palace Grounds (town) or Palace Precinct (city). See Rulers: Court (theme).
Theme: Garrison¶
Standing military. Soldiers paid by a lord or crown to hold a specific fortification. Scale follows the fortification: an Outpost has a small standing force; a Fort has a garrison; a Stronghold has a Marshal's command with cavalry, engineers, and scouts.
| Scale | Creatures | Features | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outpost | 1 Constable, 1-2 Sergeants, 2-4 Garrison Squads | Personality | Barracks |
| Fort | 1 Commander, 2-4 Lieutenants, 6-10 Sergeants, 6-10 Garrison Squads, 1-2 Garrison Patrols, 1-2 Scouts, Support Staff | Personality | Armory, Barracks, Parade Ground |
| Stronghold | 1 Marshal, 4-8 Sergeants, 12-20 Garrison Squads, 3-6 Garrison Patrols, 2-4 Scouts, Support Staff | Personality | Armory, Barracks, Officers' Quarters, Parade Ground |
Details¶
Creatures¶
Commander. The Fort's Commander. Uses the Knight or Veteran stat block. Commands the garrison, orders the patrols, sends dispatches, hosts inspecting officers. Loot: signet or badge of command (100 gp), sword, keys to the Great Keep, sealed orders, 5d10 gp coin purse.
Constable. The Outpost's ranking officer. Uses the Veteran stat block. Commands the small standing force; answers to a distant Lord or Commander. Loot: sword, gate keys, dispatches, 3d10 gp coin purse.
Garrison Patrol. Basic Garrison patrol unit. 1 Sergeant and 5 Guards covering the citadel's approaches or beat. Loot: as stat blocks; the Sergeant carries a whistle and 3d10 gp.
Garrison Squad. Basic Garrison unit stationed inside the citadel. 1 Sergeant plus 5 Guards. Loot: as stat blocks; the Sergeant carries the Armory key.
Guard Squad. Basic guard unit. 1 Sergeant plus 5 Guards. Loot: as stat blocks; the Sergeant carries the Palace Grounds armory key.
Knight Captain. Officer of higher rank. Knight Captain. Loot: as stat block; signet of the ruler's house, chain of office (100 gp).
Lieutenant. Officer. Veteran. Loot: as stat block; badge of office (10 gp), signet.
Marshal. Commander or supreme leader. Marshal. Loot: as stat block; signet of the ruler's house, chain of office (250 gp).
Militia Commander. Leader of a city Militia. Veteran, or Knight for a martial-culture city. Loot: as stat block; chain of office (100 gp), signet, muster horn.
Militia Company. Basic Militia unit. 1 Sergeant and 20 Guards. Loot: as stat blocks; the Sergeant carries the Muster Hall armory key.
Scouts. The Garrison's field intelligence, ranging beyond the citadel's walls. Move alone or in pairs, know the terrain, make reports. Uses the Scout stat block. Loot: shortbow, quiver, kit; a few silver; occasionally intelligence on nearby enemies or terrain.
Support Staff. Every garrison carries personnel needed to keep it running: cooks, a medic, a quartermaster, sometimes a hostler or armorer. Uses the Commoner or Professional stat block.
Watch Captain. Officer in the Watch. Veteran. Reports to the Council, manages Sergeants and rotations, holds the Watch Hall keys. Loot: as stat block; captain's badge (25 gp), signet, keys.
Watch Commander. Leader of a city Watch. Knight Captain, or Noble for a political appointment. Loot: as stat block; commander's chain of office (100 gp), signet.
Watch Patrol. Basic Watch unit. 1 Sergeant and 5 Guards walking routes through the streets. Loot: as stat blocks; the Sergeant carries a whistle and 3d10 gp.
Watch Squad. Often guards a checkpoint. 3 Guards under a senior Guard's supervision. Loot: as stat block; a small cashbox at the post (1d10 gp) if the post handles tolls or fines.
Features¶
Patrol Pattern. How the Watch covers its areas. d6: 1 by district (one squad per district, rotates); 2 by shift (day and night watches, same beat); 3 mounted (patrols the outskirts and gates); 4 mixed (day, night, mounted intermixed); 5 corrupt (skips certain streets or businesses for a fee); 6 heavy (Watch overstaffed, oppressive to citizens).
Personality. The body's collective character. Roll d6 by theme.
Watch: 1 honest (upholds the law fairly); 2 crooked (takes bribes as a matter of course); 3 zealous (arrests aggressively, over-polices); 4 lazy (paid to look, not to act); 5 loyal (protects the Council and its interests before the citizens); 6 divided (Sergeants at odds with one another; different squads run different beats their own way).
Militia: 1 eager (welcomes the horn); 2 reluctant (grumbles at drills); 3 disciplined (drills often, kit ready); 4 unruly (drunk on drill day); 5 embittered (last levy went badly, low morale); 6 fresh (young, untested, still keen).
Royal Guard: 1 loyal (fanatical devotion to the ruler); 2 ceremonial (parade drills; questionable in real combat); 3 elite (chosen from the realm's best, veterans all); 4 corrupt (extort favors, take bribes, moonlight for wealthy citizens); 5 political (aligned with a rival faction at court); 6 ambitious (the Captain has designs on higher rank or the throne).
Garrison: 1 disciplined (drills daily, kit ready, alert on watch); 2 lax (long peace has softened the routine); 3 mercenary (paid well; loyal to coin, not to cause); 4 zealous (believes in the cause; picks fights with civilians who don't); 5 factional (rival companies within the garrison at odds); 6 mutinous (pay is late, morale is bad, a Sergeant is agitating).
Locations¶
Armory. See Fortifications: Armory.
Barracks. See Fortifications: Barracks.
Muster Hall. See Fortifications: Barracks, Militia variant. Not full-time-manned; stores militia arms; doubles as meeting hall when the horn blows.
Officers' Quarters. See Fortifications: Officers' Quarters.
Parade Ground. See Fortifications: Parade Ground.
Watch Hall. A town's central Watch station. Common room with a hearth, cells in the back, armory, records office, Sergeant's private room. Guards on duty at all hours. Iron-banded doors and shuttered windows. Loot: duty roster; records room contents; armory worth 3d100 gp in weapons and armor; holding cell keys.
Watch HQ. A city's Watch headquarters. Multiple stories, hall for briefings, records vault, armory, cells for prisoners, offices for Lieutenants, stables for mounted patrols. Loot: armory worth 5d100 gp; records room contents. Usually serves as the Watch Hall for one Quarter.